MY TALES TO TELL :)

Fern Canyon – Redwood National and State Park

Our last stop during our Redwood National and State Parks trip is Fern Canyon. Located in the Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park in Humboldt County in Northern California, Fern Canyon took its name from its California native ferns and moss that blanket its 50-feet wall canyons. Like most canyons whose deep gorges were carved by water and time, Fern Canyon was a masterpiece created by the waters of Home Creek draining into Pacific Ocean through a natural process of erosion that took millennia. As a matter of fact, some of these canyon’s ferns can be traced to be over 300 million years old. No wonder it is recognized as a World Heritage site!

Captured the beauty of mist and sunrise as we drove around Redwood National and State Parks towards the Fern Canyon.Enjoying the beautiful combination of mist, sunshine and forest as we drove around Redwood National and State Parks towards Fern Canyon.The Gold Bluff Beach at Redwood National and State Parks in California.Drift woods and the beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean at Bluff Beach.Just a little north of this beautiful Beach Bluff is the start of the Fern Canyon Trail Loop in Redwood National and State Parks in California.

Fern Canyon Loop Trail

After arriving at Fern Canyon parking lot north of Gold Bluffs Beach, we took a short walk towards the start of the Fern Canyon trail. The hiking trail loop is only half a mile and it was easy. The surrounding vegetation along the trail was extraordinarily green in early spring. The addition of moss attached to some trees, especially those struck with a little sunlight, exuded a magical effect.

Walking towards the start of the Fern Canyon Loop Trail at Redwood National and State Park in California.The surrounding vegetation towards the Fern Canyon Loop trail in Redwood National and State Park was extraordinarily green in early spring.Our first sight of Home Creek that carved this Fern Canyon over millennia.

FERN CANYON

The hiking trail loop is only half a mile and it was EASY. However, we were not prepared to get wet! As we were beginning to see walls of the canyon while traversing Home Creek, we also started to realize that this hike requires some wading through freezing, early spring waters, and hopping over fallen slippery logs. Fern Canyon is one of its kind though, and we have more reasons to move forward than retreat.

I was also secretly hoping to see some dinosaurs as this was a chosen movie location of 1997 Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park 2: The Lost World.

Fallen slippery logs are a common sight along Fern Canyon Trail Loop at Redwood National and State Parks in California.Wading through the freezing, early spring water of Home Creek and hopping over fallen logs along the Fern Canyon Trail at Redwood National and State Parks in California.Fern Canyon Trail Loop requires a lot of wading through Home Creek waters.The 50-feet canyon walls at Fern Canyon is carpeted with ferns and moss that can be traced to be over 300 million years old.Fern Canyon at Redwood National and State Parks in California.One of the world’s heritage sites, Fern Canyon in Redwood National and State Parks in California.Looking at this view of Fern Canyon is like looking at the world through time. This canyon was carved by erosion millions of years ago.

As we were moving forward towards the deeper end of the canyon hike trail, my husband and I decided to go back. This has been a fun hike, but the water started to look a lot deeper, and I was already freezing wet. There was also no one else around to call for help if we were ever in distress.

Debating on whether to move forward with the hiking trail or turn around.The walls of Fern Canyon is carpeted with ferns and moss that drips. Some of these fern species can be traced to be over 300 million years old.A close up of the moss carpeting the walls of Fern Canyon at Redwood National and State Parks in California.Trail marks at Fern Canyon in Redwood National and State Parks in California.Last photo before we left Fern Canyon in Redwood National and State Parks in California.

We left Redwood National and State Parks, headed South towards Eureka and turned westward at Arcata. We reached Redding and saw Mt. Lassen from a distance.

9 hours later, and we were happy to be finally back home. I didn’t get to bring home ewoks or dinosaurs though.

Random sights on our way home from Redwood National and State Park.Random sights on our way home from Redwood National and State Park.View of Lassen Volcano in the distance as we were leaving Redding.Green hills of California in spring!

Thank you! We have never been to that part of the world yet :( But I just googled and the place looks amazing! Thank you for letting us know about this jewel in WA. It is now part of our bucket list :)

You are quite the photographer, what beautiful pictures! Yes, this is also one of my favorite places in the world. Viewing those magnificent redwoods make every other challenge seem small. Well done! :)